Acetylene generator



Dec. 28 1926.

I. M. HACKNEY ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed June 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28 1926.

I. M. HACKNEY ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed June 29. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tag 4 0 m #1 J/QJ'ZZZ Maw/aw Wm hz/ls ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28 1926.

l. M. HACKNEY ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed June 29. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Man/aw m w ATTORNEY.

cgdgao /7 Patented Dec. 28, 1926..

ISAAC M. HACKNEY, OF WIGHITA, KANSAS.

' AGE'IYLENE sauna-Aron.

Application filed June 29, 1925. Serial No. 40,276.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene generators.

It is particularly adapted for use in portable acetyle'ne generating machines, which are to be moved about while containing water and carbide.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide novel means for protecting the carbide from contact with the water in the machine, when the latter is being moved from place to place, even though the machine should be accidentally upset.

A further object of my invention is to provide novel protectingmeans of the kind described, which is simple, readily adapted to machines now in use, which is cheap, durable, not liable to get out of order, which is easily operated by an unskilled person,

which has novel means for preventing the improper operation, of the mechanism, and which will reliably exclude water i the machine from contact with the carb dewhen the machine is not being operatedi The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a reduced perspective View of a portable acetylene generating machine provided with my improvement.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central sectional view of the upper portion of the same, some of the parts being in elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the tank, and including the operating shaft and its guides.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section .on the line 14ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view, partly broken away, of the closure for the protective hopper and parts associated therewith.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-6 of Fig.2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 7-7, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 88 of Fig. 2. l

Similar reference characters designate, similar parts in the different views.

1 designates the generatingtank of a usual type, adapted to hold water and provided at its upper part with a dome-2having a cap 3 Secured to the top of the doineby bolts 4. 5 designates a carbide hopper of a usual the plate 11.

type supported at its upper. end by the cap 3 and depending into the dome 2, and provided with any suitable carbide feeding means, of which the bucket 6 pivoted to the lower part of the hopper 5 may be a part.

'For preventing carbide passing, on account of jolting .or otherwise, from the hopper 5 into the water held in the tank 1, I have provided protective means comprising a protective partition extending across the dome 2 below the hopper 5, and which, in the form of my invention-illustrated, comprises a protective hopper 7 in which the hopper 5 is located and into which the hop- 7 per 5 is adapted, in the ordinary operation of the machine, to feed the carbide used in making the gas.

The upper open end of the hopper 7 is provided with a peripheral flange 8'which is 7 held clamped between the two gaskets 9 which are clamped between the cap 3 and the dome 2.

The lower end or bottom of the "hopper 7 is preferably conical and converges downwardly to a central carbide discharge opening 10.

For closing the discharge opening 10 of the hopper 7, when the machine is to be transported, I provide a manually operated 35 closure, which, as shown in the drawings, may comprise an inverted U shaped plate 11, upon the upper side of which is fastened asuitable sealing pad, 12, which may be a sheet of soft rubber, leather, or other compressible material not injuriously affected by water, carbide or acetylene gas.

As best shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the ends of the pad 12 are lapped respectively over the arms of the plate 11, to which they are fastened by plates 13 riveted to the arms. Opposite side edges of the pad 12 may be held by lips 14 bent upwardly and over the pad from opposite side edges of the top of A transverse horizontal bow shaped spring plate 15 has its end portions bearing against the under side of the plate 11 to which one end of the spring plate is rigidly secured in any suitable manner, as by rivets 16. I

Spaced apart from and below the spring plate 15 is a horizontal bearin plate'l the. ends of which are respective y fastened to the arms of the U sha ed plate 11.

The above describe closure for the discharge opening 10 is movable'vertically to and from a position in which the pad 12 will bear against the lower end of the hopper 7, at the edge of .the op'ening 10, by a cam 18, which is rigidly fastened to a transverse horizontal shaftiinember 19, which extends through vertical slots 20 provided respectively in the arms of the plate 11. The shaft member 19 is extended through and is slidably and rotatably mounted in two brackets 21 and 22 respectively secured to the under side of the hopper 7 at opposite sides respectively of theopening f0.

I The cam 18 fits between the arms of the plate 11, so that when the shaft member 19 is reciprocated, the closure will be laterally reciprocated. The left arm of the plate 11 engages the bracket 21 to limit the lateral movement of the closure from the position in vertical alinement -with the discharge opening 10 of the hopper 7.

For limiting the movement of the closure to the vertical position alined with the opening 10, there is mounted on the shaft member 19 a coupling comprising an L shaped block 23, the vertical arm of which has a vertical hole in which is inserted the upwardly turned adjacent end of the shaft member 19. The other arm of the coupling block 23 has a horizontal hole in which is removably mounted the adjacent horizontally bent end of an outer horizontal shaft member 24, which is alined with the shaft member 19, and which forms therewith and with the coupling block 23 a manually operated shaft for moving the closure for the opening 10 vertically to and from the closed position, and laterally to and from a position alined with the opening 10.

The shaft member 24 extends through and is rotatably and slidably mounted in an externally threaded packing ring 25, which is removably fitted in a threaded hole 26 in the side wall of the dome casing 2. When the packing ring 25 is removed from the hole 26, the shaft member 24 may be inserted into or removed from the coupling block 23.

The outer end of the shaft member, at the outer side of the tank, is provided with a handle 27, by which the shaft member may be rotated to release or close the closure for the opening 10, or by which the closure may be moved laterally to and from alinement vertically with the opening 10, to permit the operation of feeding carbide through the openin into the water in the tank.

To limit the rotative movement in one direction of the shaft member24, and also to guide the shaft member in its longitudinal movement, there is provided a channel guide comprising two radial flanges 28 and 29, Figs. 2, 3 and 4c, fastened to the upper end of the body of the tank casing 1.

The handle 27 has a radial extension 30 adapted for radial travel lengthwise of the channel guide between the flanges'28 and 29,

a'ndadapted to enter said channel guide through a notch 31 in the upper edge of the flange 28. The flange 29 serves to engage the extension 30 to limit the countercloclr it wise movement of the extenslon, when the handle 27 is rotated with the shaft member 24- from the closed position of the handle, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the open position, shown in solid lines in said figure.

and 29 and adapted to be respectively -ena2:

gaged by the extension 30 and the handle 27. The guide plates 32 and 33 are 'dispo ed at the outer side of the notch 31. When the operating shaft is to be rotated,

the extension 30 and handle 27 are disposed 2 at the inner side of the guide plates 32 and 33 respectively.

To close the opening 10, the handle 27 with the shaft member 24 is forced inwardly from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to the position shown in solid lines in Figs. 2 and 3, the extension 30 at the time bcing in the channel guide between the flanges 28 and 29. When the coupling block 23 strikes the bracket 21, the pad 12 will be directly below and spaced from the opening 10, and the extension 30 will be in register with the notch 31.

till

The handle 27 is then turned, from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, clockwise, to the po ition shown in dotted lines in said figure. The cam 18 will thus be turned by means of the shaft member 24, coupling block 23, and shaft member 19 toa position diametrically that shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, and will engage and force upwardly the spring plate 15 and with it the plate 11 and pad 12, the latter being tightly pressed against the lower end of the hopper 7 and closing the opening 10 against the entrance of water into the hopper 7, even if the tank is upset, and also preventing any carbide passing from the hopper 7 through the opening10 into the water in the tank. The resiliency of the spring plate'15 and the pad 1.2 aflords a means for reliably t ghtly closing the opening 10.

In the closed position, the arcuate guide plate 33 is in the path of outward movement of the handle 27, so that the closure can not accidentally nor purposely be moved laterally from the fully closed position. The guide plate 32 by being in the path of outward movement of the extension 30, when the guide plate 33 is not in the path of the handle 27, serves also to prevent the lateral movement outwardly of the closure plate 11,

- tively.

excepting when the extension 30 is between the guide flanges 28 and 29, after having passed through the notch 31.

To open the closure for the opening 10 so that carbide may be fed therethrough in the regular operation of making gas, the handle 27 is turned from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown in solid lines in said figure, the turning movement being counter-clockwise. The extension 30 will then have passed through the notch 31 and against the flange 29. The cam 18 will thus be turned so as to bear against and force downwardly the bearing plate 17 and with it the closure plate 11 and the pad 12 to the position shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6.

The handle 27 is then pulled outwardly, thus moving the cam 18 and with itthe plate 11 and pad 12 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, to the position shown in dotted lines in said figure. The opening 10 will now be fully open and-the operation of making gas can be carried on.

For holding the closure plate 11 from revolving movement, the arms of said plate 11 are vertically and horizontally slidably fitted at their opposite end edgesrespectively between two longitudinal horizontal guide plates 34 and 35, opposite ends of which arerespectively fastened to the brackets 21 and 22 at opposite side edges respec To detach the shaft member 24 from the block coupling 23, the handle 27 is pulled outwardly, as above described, to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The

acking ring 25 is then removedfrom the hole 26. The bent end of the shaft member 24 may then be removed from the hole inthe coupling block 23, and the shaft member removed from the dome 2. By reversing this operation, the shaft member '24 may again be engaged operatively with the coupling block 23. i

For convenience in transportation, the tank casing 1 may be mounted on a wheeled truck 36, Fig. 1. Before being transported,

the tank may be supplied with water, and

the carbide hopper supplied with carbide.

The handle 27, is then operated, as described, to tightly close the pad 12 against the bottom of the protective hopper 7. The

. machine may then be moved from place to place with safetyand without the water in the tank having access to the carbide in the carbide hop er, even if the .mach'ine should be capsizes.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a tank casing and a carbide hopper located therein having a suitable carbide feeding means, of a protective hopper in said tank in which the carbide hopper is located and into which said carbide hopper is adapted to discharge carbide, said protective hopper having a downwardly converging bottoni provided with a carbide discharge opening at its lowest part and having a closure movable vertically to and from a closed position and also movable laterally out of vertical alinement with said opening, and means operable from the exterior of the casing for so moving said closure.

2. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a tank casing and a carbide hopper therein having suitable carbide fceding means, of a protective partition in said tank intermediate of said hopper and water adapted to be held in said tank and having a carbide discharge opening and a closure for said opening, an operating shaft extending through the wall of said casing and rotatably and longitudinally slidably mounted in said casing, and means carried by said shaft by which, when the shaft is rocked to and fro, the closure is moved vertically to and from a posit-ion closing said opening, and when the shaft is reciprocated longitu dinally the closure is moved laterally to and from said position.

3. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a tank casing, of a protective hopper therein having a downwardly converging bottom provided with a carbide discharge opening and having a closure for said opening, an operating shaft extending through and rotatably and slidably mounted in said casing, andmeans actuated by said shaft for vertically movin said closure to and from a closed position w en the shaft is rotated, and for moving said closure laterally to and from said position when the shaft is longitudinally reciprocated.

4. In an acet lene generator, the combina-. tion with a tanli casing, of a protective hopper therein having a downwardly converging bottom provided with a carbide discharge opening and a closure for said opening, an operating shaft extending through and rotatably and slidably mounted in said casing, and a cam secured on said shaft and movable therewith arranged to engage said' closure so as to vertically move the closure to and from a closed position when the shaft is rocked to and fro, and to laterally move ing, an operating shaft extending through and rotatably and slidably mounted in said casing, a means actuated by said shaft for vertically moving said closure to and from a closed position when the shaft is rocked to and fro, and for moving said closure laterally to and from said position when the shaft is longitudinally reciprocated, and means for engaging and holding said shaft from longitudinal movement to the open position excepting when the closure has been moved downwardlyt'o the. open position.

6. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a tank casing, of a protective hopper therein having a downwardly converging bottom provided with a carbide discharge opening and a closure for said opening, an operating shaft extending through and rotatably and slidably mounted in said casing, a cam secured to and movable with said shaft arranged to engage said closure for moving the latter vertically to and from the closed position when the shaft is rotated and for moving said closure laterally to and from the closed position when the shaft is longitudinally reciprocated and means adapted to engage said shaft for holding it from outward sliding movement excepting when the closure is in the open position.

7. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a tank casing having a lateral threaded hole, of a protective hopper in said casing having a downwardly converging bottom provided ,with a carbide discharge opening and a closure for said opening, an operating shaft comprising two shaft members and a coupling releasably connecting said members and efi'ecting joint movement between said members, means carried by one of said shaft members arranged to engage and vertically move said closure to and from the closed position when the shaft is rotated to and fro and to laterally move said closure to and from the closed position when the shaft is longitudinally reciprocated, the

other of said shaft members extending through said threaded hole and arranged to releasably engage said coupling, and a threaded'packing ring slidably fitted on the last named shaft member and arranged to be fitted in said threaded hole and when so fitted holding said last named shaft member engaged with said coupling.

8. In an acetylenegenerator, the combination with a hopper having a converging bottom provided with a carbide discharge opening and a closure for said opening, of

' guiding means for the closure in which the latter is vertically movable to and from a closed position and laterally movable to andnation with a hopperhaving a converging '75 bottom provided with a, carbide discharge opening and a closure for said opening, of a tank casing in which the hopper is located, an operating shaft extending through and rotatable and longitudinally slidable in said casing, saidshaft having outside the casing an'operating handle, means actuated by the said shaft for vertically moving said closure when the shaft is rotated and for laterally moving said closure from vertical alinement with said opening when the shaft is longitudinally outwardly withdrawn, and means on the outside of said casing for engaging said handle to hold the shaft from outward sliding to an open position of the closure excepting when the shaft is in a position in which the closure has been moved downwardly from the fully closed position.

10. In an acetylene generator, the combination with a tank casing, of a hopper therein having a bottom carbide dischar e opening and a vertically movable and laterally movable closure for said opening, an operating shaft longitudinally slidable through and rotatable in said casing and having outside the casing an operating handle, means actuated by said shaft for vertically moving said closure when the shaft is rotated, and for laterally moving said closure when the shaft is longitudinally moved, a channel guide on the outside of the casing disposed parallel with said shaft and in which the handle of the shaft is adapted for travel, one flange of the channel serving as a stop for limiting the rotation of the shaft, the other flange of said channel having an 0 ening through which the handle can pass rom and into the channel, and a guard member at the outer side of the last named opening for engaging said handle to hold the shaft from being drawn outwardly to the open position excepting at a certain point in the arc of travel of said handle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC M. HACKNEY. 

